Blog — Life Floor

Briana Valente

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AQUATIC DESIGN FEATURE: The Middle East

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Over the last few years, we’ve steadily seen an increase in aquatic design activity in the Middle East. Unique, breathtaking destinations and attractions continue to debut with groundbreaking new ideas.

As we’ve developed innovative safety surfacing design solutions for customers in this region, some projects have stood out. Explore some of our top installations from the Middle East below.

Atlantis the Palm, Dubai

Atlantis the Palm, Dubai was one of the first attractions to install a triangle gradient that featured distinct zoning principles where shallow areas reflected beach-inspired tan colors and deeper areas of water had gradually darkening blue tones. This effect enhances confident play value by visually signaling to guests that a depth of water is present and gives them a sense of how quickly it deepens.

Life Floor’s durability exceeds the criteria of the extreme Dubai climate by providing NSF/ANSI/CAN 50 Certified UV resistance among other components of the standard such as slip-resistance and cushioning. Our tiles maintain our slip-resistant and cushioned properties even after experiencing extreme UV exposure.

Jungle Bay Waterpark

Jungle Bay Waterpark features approximately 21,500 sq ft (2,000 sq m) of Life Floor surrounding its amenities and features with a unique UV additive in the tiles which makes them last even longer under more intense sun conditions. 

Safety and guest experience is key. Excluding the walkways, the entire waterpark has Life Floor which not only enhances the design of the park, but also reduces overall risk through safety surfacing. This vast expanse of Life Floor showcases the resort’s commitment to safety without sacrificing the pristine aquatic design that complements the resort. Life Floor’s cushioned and slip-resistant features provide guests with increased comfort throughout their stay.

Additionally, WhiteWater combined their world-class water slides and features with complementary blue and white colors to provide Jungle Bay Waterpark with a complete package that never compromises safety for design. The central lighthouse element was incorporated into the project to add theming and a central starting point for many of the water slide

The Beach Jumeirah

The Beach splash pad delights as an amenity to individuals in the Jumeirah Beach Residence area. Life Floor was installed in 2018 and has provided a comfortable and slip-resistant surface for families looking to cool off in the hot climate. Life Floor is a good choice for facilities in search of a product that dissipates heat quickly since it will not burn skin and stays comfortable underfoot.

To resemble the nearby beach, the Life Floor Studio combined a gradient shoreline effect with triangles and Marine Inlays. Triangle gradients work well when paired with seashore themes because tan colors resemble beach elements which transition into progressively darker blues as the depth of the water increases. These gradients can be a good way to visually signal changes in water depths without more obvious depth markers.

GEMS Wellington International School

GEMS Wellington International School is the largest private K-12 organization in the world with just over 40 schools in Dubai alone. With slippery and failing ceramic tiles around their competition pool decks, the school reached out to Raymond Sport LLC, Life Floor’s Authorized Distributor and Certified Installer serving the UAE and greater Middle East region, for a better solution. Raymond Sport LLC and the Life Floor Studio created a modern, staggered design that incorporated the school’s logo custom cut from our safety surfacing.

Waldorf Astoria ras al khaimah

Waldorf Astoria’s resort in Ras Al Khaimah chose to partner with industry leaders WhiteWater and Life Floor to create a splash pad amenity catering to children with areas for adults to relax nearby.  This small splash pad is an inviting addition for children who may not know how to swim yet or simply want to run, play, and cool off in the hot regional climate. WhiteWater's AquaSplash spray features provide introductory and collaborative play opportunities. Paired with these water activities, Life Floor's cushioned and slip-resistant tiles complement the overall facility design while providing an inviting environment for all guests to enjoy.

Deira International School

Deira International School installed a design featuring bright bands of colors across the pool deck. At one end of the pool, the school’s logo is prominently displayed. This logo is custom cut from Life Floor using precision cutting equipment.

Sharjah Ruler’s Court

This pool deck is for the exclusive use of the royalty in Sharjah, UAE. It features an elegant triangle pattern with tastefully placed Ivory colored triangles that add visual interest to the space.

5 Hotel Palm Jumeirah

5 Hotel Palm Jumeirah chose an organic, curving design in a bright primary color palette. This custom design was created and installed by Raymond Sport LLC who is an Authorized Distributor and Certified Installer of Life Floor in UAE and the greater Middle East.

To support this rapidly expanding region, we’re excited to announce a new brochure tailored to serving the Middle East region. It showcases eight key projects alongside features of our partners WhiteWater and Raymond Sport. Explore or download the brochure here: Browser | PDF

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REDUCING SLIP AND FALLS AT ZERO-DEPTH ENTRIES

Having the right surfacing on zero-depth entry applications is often overlooked when renovating existing facilities or building new ones. This commonly slippery area presents a hydroplaning challenge for operators, staff, and guests alike due to the sloping surface leading into the water. Adding cushioned and slip-resistant materials at these entry points can enhance safety, design, and accessibility at any aquatic center.

What is a Zero-Depth Entry?

Zero-depth entries provide a gradually sloped surface leading from a dry deck into a shallow depth of water that progressively gets deeper. Occasionally, spray features, jets, and toys will be installed where there is no depth of water present or in shallower areas, essentially functioning as small splash pads.

Customizable surfacing options, such as Life Floor, can integrate games, shapes, or activities into these areas before the depth of water increases to add additional engagement, create themed designs, and provide improved safety.

SURFACE Design of ZERO-DEPTH ENTRIES

Sometimes, it’s difficult for guests to visualize how deep water is becoming and how quickly. Gradients and colors that symbolize shorelines and water depth can be a good visual indicator of zones. For example, a walkway or lounge chair area can have tan colors that resemble sandy beaches while light blues can represent shallow water, gradually developing into darker colors as water depth increases.

In some states within the USA, pool codes require specific surfacing color options under certain depths of water. Internationally, restrictions are often less limiting, allowing for colorful designs that can extend deep underwater.

Wave Pools

Wave pools are a popular example of zero-depth entries and include the added challenge of active waves and currents.

Children often linger and play in the shallow depths of wave pools. This can be dangerous when inner tubes float towards the shore either empty or with guests in them since they can knock small children over and cause impacts with the surface. The youngest of guests may require extra balance to stand confidently in these dynamic areas. Older children and adults may also drift into shallow depths or recline on the surface while partially submerged.

Safety surfacing such as Life Floor that is slip-resistant and cushioned helps to increase comfort while adding safety to avoid incidents. Harder or more abrasive surfacing options can limit the types of play and interaction that happen within these areas.

Zero-Depth Entry Play Areas

Zero-depth entries for younger children have gained in popularity at indoor aquatic centers as alternatives to kiddie pools. These areas complement larger pool decks, hot tubs, slides, and other amenities for older guests that are offered.

These spaces are often a hybrid of small-scale elevated structures and spray toys tailored to small children. Toddler slides, collaborative activities, and safety surfaces all contribute to longer visits, increased play value, and overall comfort.

By increasing the surrounding comfort of these areas, caretakers and parents can have greater peace of mind and enjoy these experiences alongside their children and families for a full day of fun.

SMALL SPACES

Having an accessible, comfortable, and fun aquatic amenity regardless of size will contribute to positive guest memories and return visits. Small zero-depth entries can utilize safety surfacing in unique ways.

Some of our municipal clients choose to bundle surfacing for multiple small areas across their city to improve multiple small spaces such as zero-depth entries, splash pads, and landing pads for water slide exits.

Regardless of size, use, or design, adding safety surfacing to zero-depth entries helps to reduce slip and fall incidents while also improving aesthetics and overall guest experience. Keeping these zones in mind when designing aquatic facilities can completely transform the way visitors experience these accessible entry points.

To learn more about how you can improve the safety and design of your zero-depth entry, contact us and find out how you can receive a complementary design rendering tailored to your facility.

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Pre-Season Checklist for Aquatic Centers

As the upcoming season approaches, be sure you’re ready to curate positive experiences and memories all summer long! Keep reading for some recommendations as you prepare your aquatic center for the year.

Intentionally Evaluate Spaces

To begin any pre-season checklist, we recommend intentionally evaluating amenities for potential improvements and making a plan centered around those aspects. Some common areas of improvement that can have a significant impact on guest experience and facility management include:

  1. Shade and seating options

  2. Multi-generational engagement opportunities

  3. Accessible features and amenities

  4. Areas prone to incident reports

  5. Drinking fountains, bathrooms, and locker rooms

  6. Surface and fixture maintenance

Improve Aquatic Center Safety

Improving safety at aquatic centers often begins with adding safety surfacing to directly influence positive play value. Hazards such as slip-and-fall incidents are reduced and guests are more likely to engage in good risky play such as hopping, skipping, and playing in water.

Resolving Slippery, Failing Surfaces

Some of the most common pain points we hear involve slippery or abrasive surfaces that are difficult to maintain. These issues often lead to increased risk at facilities.

We're often contacted by parks and recreation professionals who have tried other surfacing solutions at their aquatic facilities which have failed. Rubberized or aggregate materials are often designed for dry playgrounds and aren't engineered to withstand the unique aquatic combination of UV and chemicals common at splash pads or pool decks.

To resolve these surfacing issues, choose an NSF/ANSI/CAN 50 Certified product that is slip-resistant, cushioned, impermeable, cleanable, UV resistant, and chemical resistant.

Cleaning and Hygiene

Others have looked to improve cleanability or have struggled with microbe growth on the surfacing at their facilities. Unlike porous options, Life Floor features a closed-cell technology, which doesn’t foster growth of bacteria, mold, and algae. Our tiles have been third-party tested for cleanability and offer a solution for anyone who has experienced similar issues.

Water Slide Landings

An easy, low cost way to improve safety at any facility is to install bolt-free landing pads for water slide exits and landings. These landing pads are cushioned and slip-resistant without being abrasive. Made from the same material as Life Floor tiles, they are also more durable than some multi-layered options.

Elevate the Appearance of Aquatic Amenities

If you are considering refreshing the overall design aesthetic of a facility, there are several components to consider.

Surface Updates

Surfacing can completely transform the look and feel of a facility since it is typically the largest feature present. Utilize this opportunity to create an engaging pattern under and around play fixtures, incorporate games such as hopscotch, or include thematic Inlays that add visual interest and function as a subtle search-and-find activity.

When planning for a surfacing update, consider using safety surfacing and including the overspray area to improve the overall safety of guests.

Before: Concrete Surface

After: Life Floor Surface

Fixture Updates

Fixture updates can be as simple as repainting or repairing existing features. If you want to increase play value for guests, consider upgrading fixtures to new models that facilitate collaborative play.

Before

Maintenance Updates

As you continue to evaluate updates for the season, check to ensure pumps, filtration, and systems are operating within manufacturer specifications. Fixture manufacturers have specific flow rate recommendations for their features and operating outside of those recommendations can result in weak flows that are boring or overly strong flows which can dissuade play.

Restoring slides, stairs, and other fiberglass materials can ensure operational success. Restoration experts can do site evaluations that will help you determine the areas of facilities that need attention.

Refer to manufacturer’s specifications for proper flow rates and maintenance procedures.

Image Credit: Fischer Brothers, LLC.

REFRESH Existing Aquatic Centers

Existing aquatic centers are valued as key amenities by communities and resorts across the world. Keeping them in good operating status is important for guest enjoyment and returning visitors.

Consider what elements of your existing aquatic center could benefit from a refresh and prioritize based on your unique needs. Often, guest feedback is an ideal way to better understand the pulse of how visitors are perceiving amenities. Use this feedback to help inform what would be the most appreciated updates and have the greatest positive results.

Before: Concrete and Fading Fixtures

After: Life Floor and Refreshed Fixtures

Overall, as you continue to evaluate facilities for the upcoming season, have fun! Bright pops of color, imaginative designs, and new features have the potential to transform a space. Even small improvements transform the way splash pads, pool decks, and aquatic centers look and function. Thoughtful design contributes meaningfully to guest experience and creating positive memories to keep them coming back all season long.

To learn more about how Life Floor’s surfacing solutions can help get your facility ready for the upcoming season, contact us today! We can connect you to our partners who specialize in spray and play fixtures, water slides, multi-level play structures, fiberglass restoration, and more.

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FISCHER BROTHERS, LLC. PARTNERS WITH LIFE FLOOR AND WATERPLAY AT RAPID RIVER LODGE

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Located near the picturesque Brainerd Lakes area, Rapid River Lodge is an ideal destination for exploring over 400 lakes, biking trails, and our favorite: a newly renovated waterpark! The lodge is making a positive impression with the upgrade of spray features from Waterplay and a beautiful Life Floor surface installed by Fischer Brothers, LLC.

BEFORE

AFTER

The refresh brightened the space with lighter colors, vibrant features, and improved safety facility-wide. The installation expertise of Fischer Brothers led to a smooth renovation with a high level of customer service, producing a final attraction sure to impress visitors.

INCLUSIVE DESIGN + SAFETY = MORE PLAY VALUE 

One of the most important goals of the partnership between Waterplay and Life Floor is to bring even more free play and accessibility to aquatic spaces. Rapid River Lodge prioritized inclusive design in every spray feature and surfacing decision, using play zones to accommodate a wide variety of play styles and the needs of different waterplayers.

With a wide range of play opportunities, from the calmer zero depth entry area with pint-sized character sprays perfect for smaller kids, to the more adventurous activity tower with elevated platforms, water cannons, and slides, this play space invites all to have fun within their ability level and comfort zone. Along with the guidance of Fischer Brothers’ restoration expertise, the waterpark at Rapid River Lodge is beautifully reimagined.

River Rapid Lodge is the first facility to debut Fischer Brothers’ new Double Lane Toddler Slide. With its modern, two-lane structure, the Double Lane Toddler Slide was designed to produce double the fun. Thoughtfully engineered materials and the intentional inclusion of Life Floor's cushioned Landing Pads make these slides beautiful, fun, and safer for the littlest water park goer. 

Life Floor safety surfacing covers every walkable surface in the waterpark. Bands of Pomegranate-colored tile offer contrasting visual cues that signal guests to exercise caution around each body of water. Visual signals are an important safety feature to show depth changes, the presence of features, and represent a changing landscape when paired with zoning for different stages of childhood development.

Thank you to Fischer Brothers and Waterplay for a collaboration filled with fun! Our team loves working on projects that focus on retrofitting facilities with inclusivity, safety, and play in mind. 

To learn more about revitalizing your attractions with inclusive design and safety, we’d love to begin a conversation with you! 

We’re thrilled to announce that Fischer Brothers, LLC has officially joined Life Floor’s Installation Network as our newest Certified Installation Partner.

Andrew Fischer accepting Life Floor’s Certified Installation Certificate on behalf of Fischer Brothers LLC

Waterplay by MAKR

Waterplay creates playful, inventive, and inclusive splash pad equipment for people from all walks of life, of all ages, and with diverse abilities. Everyone should have access to amazing, inviting, playable, enjoyable and ‘go-backable’ aquatic recreation places. With thousands of installations, millions of happy waterplayers splashing around on six continents, Waterplay is here to support you from concept, to installation, maintenance, future planning, and revitalizations. Splash pads for the win!  

Learn more about Waterplay

Fischer Brothers, LLC

Fischer Brothers, LLC got their start in 2007 restoring waterslides, and eventually moved on to other parts of the waterpark. From waterslide towers, aquatic play structures, spray features and more, Fischer Brothers has led the charge in pioneering innovative solutions for the aquatics restoration industry.

Learn more about Fischer Brothers, LLC

Life Floor

Life Floor was founded upon a vision to create safer, more memorable experiences at aquatic facilities. Since 2011, our mission has expanded to include innovative design, increased play value, and inclusivity wherever our surfacing is installed.

Across all of our unique projects, one thing remains the same: improving aquatic environments for all people will always be at the heart of our purpose.

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Custom Aquatic Theming at Wet'n'Wild Gold Coast, Australia

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Wet'n'Wild Gold Coast in Australia chose Life Floor for their H2Oasis splash pad. This unique 8-color design was created by Burling Brown Architects located in Queensland.

This installation features a unique custom-cut design highlighted with Porcelain Life Floor tiles weaving through the main colors. These Porcelain lines create organic shapes with contrasting color blocks and allow for subtle paths of engagement through spray fixtures.

Guest experience is important for an aquatic amenity such as H2Oasis. Choosing colors for the surface that complement the surrounding environment allows for immersive theming and lends to a guest’s overall impression of their visit.

Thank you to Grant Burgess, Managing Director for Life Floor Australia and New Zealand, for his creative collaboration with Burling Brown Architects and his strategic partnership with Grassports Australia installers. Their vision for executing this project successfully with excellence resulted in innovative new installation tactics that can be applied to future projects in Australia.

TOP 10 Life Floor Installations from 2022

2022 was filled with a variety of design projects ranging in complexity, size, and theming. As we look back at the year in review, there are certainly some installations that stand out. The following highlight our top 10 unique Life Floor projects that were installed in 2022.

most TROPICAL FACILITY THEME

Kimpton Seafire Resort + Spa

Location: Seven Mile Beach, Grand Cayman
Install Date: April 2022
Area: 4,500 ft² (418 m²)
Main Colors: Sandstone, Sandbar, Gobi, and Porcelain
Texture: Ripple 2.0
Designer: WhiteWater
Engineering Consultant: Martin Aquatic Design and Engineering
Installer: Elegance Interior Solutions
Photography Credit: Kimpton Seafire Resort + Spa

FIRST PROJECT TO FEATURE AUSTRALIA + NEW ZEALAND INLAYS

Brimbank Aquatic and Wellness Centre

Location: 90 Taylors Rd, Keilor Downs, Victoria, Australia
Install Date: July 2022
Area: 4,630 ft² (430 m²)
Colors: Terra Cotta, Pomegranate, Goldfish, Sunshine, Sandbar, Sandstone, Ivory, Seafoam, Turquoise, Iceberg, Aviator, and Ocean
Texture: Ripple 2.0
Thickness: 3/8” (7/8” at slide runout)
Designer: Life Floor Studio
Architect: Williams Ross Architects
Installer: Mauer Construction Tiling

OUR SECOND ANNUAL MAKE A SPLASH! GRANT CONTEST WINNER

Wells Park Splash Pad

Location: Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA
Install Date: July 2022
Area: 1,360 ft² (126 m²)
Colors: Turquoise, Seafoam, Goldfish, and Sunshine
Texture: Ripple 2.0
Thickness: 3/8”
Designer: Life Floor Studio
Installer: Inside Edge Safety Surfaces

MOST REMOTELY LOCATED PROJECT

Dimond Park Aquatic Center

Location: Juneau, Alaska, USA
Install Date: May 2022
Area: 6,000 ft² (557 m²)
Colors: Bluebird, Iceberg, Boulevard, River Rock, and Foghorn
Texture: Ripple 2.0
Thickness: 3/8”
Designer: Life Floor Studio
Installer: Inside Edge Safety Surfaces

BEST ATHLETIC THEMING

Manor Park

Location: Huntington, New York, USA
Install Date: June 2022
Area: 2,520 ft² (234 m²)
Colors: Evergreen, Limelight, and Ivory
Texture: Ripple 2.0
Thickness: 3/8”
Designer: Life Floor Studio
Installer: Inside Edge Safety Surfaces

MOST CULTURALLY SIGNIFICANT

Kununurra Splash Park

Location: Kununurra, Australia
Install Date: May 2022
Area: 5,380 ft² (500 m²)
Colors: Olive, Sunshine, Kestrel, Ivory, Terra Cotta, Sepia
Texture: Ripple 2.0
Thickness: 3/8”
Installer: Grassports Australia (QLD)

MOST UNIQUE APPLICATION OF LIFE FLOOR

Ka'ana Pop-Up Surf Park

Location: British Columbia, Canada
Install Date: Summer 2022
Area: 350 ft² (33 m²)
Colors: Porcelain, Tiki, Evergreen, Olive, and Goldfish
Texture: Ripple 2.0
Thickness: 3/8”
Designer: Life Floor Studio
Installer: Inside Edge Safety Surfaces
Partner: Daldorado

FIRST INSTALLATION IN SWITZERLAND

Red Whale Swim School

Location: Geneva, Switzerland
Install Date: September 2022
Area: 1,600 ft² (150 m²)
Colors: Ocean and Aviator
Texture: Ripple 2.0
Thickness: 3/8”
Designer: Life Floor Studio
Installer: CreateScape Ltd.

MOST COLOR VARIETY

Madison Community Center

Location: Madison, South Dakota, USA
Install Date: January 2022
Area: 6,624 ft² (615 m²)
Colors: Limelight, Seafoam, Turquoise, Aviator, Bluebird, Ocean, Kestrel, Heron, Foghorn, River Rock, and Boulevard
Texture: Ripple 2.0
Thickness: 3/8”
Designer: Life Floor Studio
Installer: Inside Edge Safety Surfaces

BEST OVERLOOK

Hervey Bay Waterpark

Location: 267 Esplanade Pialba, Queensland, 4655, Australia
Install Date: August 2022
Area: 11,000 ft² (1,022 m²)
Colors: Ocean, Aviator, Bluebird, Boulevard, Sandbar, and Porcelain
Texture: Ripple 2.0
Thickness: 3/8”
Designer: WhiteWater

Thank you to all of our partners and customers who trusted us to make aquatic facilities safer, more beautiful, and more accessible in 2022.

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NEW: 30 Unique Thematic Shapes for Aquatic Design

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We’re excited to announce three new sets of Inlays that can be used to enhance the design, theming, and imaginative play opportunities on any splash pad or pool deck. These new additions complement our growing library of options that have helped to reimagine the potential of aquatic play through surfacing design. Check out our new additions below!

Outer Space

These Outer Space Inlays are out of this world! Teleport your guests’ imagination beyond the stars and spark daring space-themed adventures. Pair with Inlays from other collections such as our Geometric set to expand the possibilities of design .

Desert

From cacti to desert creatures, this Inlay set can set the scene for a unique landscape! For extra design potential, try pairing it with our Montauk Theme.

SPORTS

Encourage an active mindset by combining aquatics and sports! This Inlay set is inspired by some of the most popular sports in the United States. Pair with any theme or create your own from our wide range of colors. Some customers have even created soccer and football field designs out of Life Floor!

If you’re interested in including some of these fun new Inlays in your upcoming project, please contact your regional sales manager. For projects outside of the U.S., please contact our international team.

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Made in the USA: How USDA Grants Changed Life Floor History

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In 2015, we were honored to receive grants from the USDA Rural Development's Intermediary Relending Program & Rural Economic Development Loan and Grant Program. These funds enabled our company to transition manufacturing from Vietnam to South Dakota, allowing us to proudly state that Life Floor is Made in the USA.

With our production line stateside, we've been able to drastically reduce our carbon footprint while engaging in groundbreaking research and development opportunities. We will continue to grow and innovate with our mission in mind to make aquatics facilities safer and more beautiful for people of all ages and abilities.

Thank you to the USDA for contributing to our company's history and empowering us to further improve the lives of people around the world.

The following content is an excerpt from the USDA Rural Development’s article about Life Floor titled, Making a Splash in Rural South Dakota.

Growing up, we all remember visiting the local pool or water park. Lifeguards blew a whistle warning us to slow down as we dashed to the refreshing water on dangerous slippery, molten-hot concrete.

But today’s pools, water parks and splash pads are much safer thanks to companies like Life Floor.

Life Floor first received $300,000 in 2014 through a partnership between Heartland Rural Electric Fund, Lake Area Improvement Corporation and East River Electric’s Rural Electric Economic Development, Inc. (REED) Fund was put together to assist the company. East River Electric’s REED Fund provided revolving loan funds received through USDA Rural Development’s Rural Economic Development Loan and Grant program and Lake Area Improvement Corporation provided loan funds received through USDA Rural Development’s Intermediary Relending Program. The equipment needed to get the manufacturing facility on its feet was made possible through funding provided by these entities all located within the state of South Dakota.

They opened in 2015 as a pilot program specializing in aquatic tiles that are both slip resistant and soft. A “Doing Business As” company of MNY Group, LLC in Minneapolis, Minnesota, Life Floor developed a solution for a safer surface while providing a pleasant aesthetic to welcome guests.

“We had to do a lot of engineering to make the flooring work, but we’re bringing back the knowledge of how it’s done,” said Vimal Thakkar, Process Engineer for Life Floor. “It’s very rewarding knowing we are making a safe place for families to gather and we’re proud to say this is made in the USA.”

The product was originally manufactured in Vietnam, but the company wanted to have more control on research and development and do it at a lower cost and lower carbon footprint. As Life Floor began manufacturing in Madison, the company focused on efficiency and creating a cost-competitive product with a focus on a surface that could stand the test of time against sunlight, water and heavy foot traffic.

In 2018, the company began a major expansion, quadrupling its footprint from 2,500 square feet to 10,000 square feet.

“Our growth continued even into 2020 during the pandemic,” said MNY Group CEO Jonathan Keller. “Because waterparks and pools were mostly closed during the pandemic, we continued to see growth as these businesses upgraded to a safer surface for their customers and newly constructed aquatic facilities completed construction.”

Throughout their first six years of manufacturing in South Dakota, Life Floor has seen a continued shift between international and domestic customers and from new construction to retrofitting existing locations. Now in 2022, Keller says the company is performing well in both markets and sees a balance between new construction and retrofit projects.

Thakkar also highlighted the company’s focus on designing floors that match the branding of their customers and using technologies that streamline the process from raw material to a finished tile.

“Our customers expect a product that matches their brand, so we spend a lot of time ensuring we have matched their colors and that those colors resist fading from harsh elements,” said Thakkar. “We transitioned from die-cut tiles to precision cutting, which has decreased production time and increased our precision.”

While Life Floor works with customers globally, local businesses have benefited from the same material to keep customers safe.

“As we remodeled our pool area in early 2022, we recognized the need to make our floor safer,” said Gene Wockenfuss, director for the Madison Community Center. “Life Floor and Falcon Plastics were able to assist in some of the costs to upgrade the flooring.”

Wockenfuss joked they weren’t so sure about the bright colors when they first saw the design but were reassured the choices would provide a vibrant upgrade to the 20-year-old building.

“We are so happy with the floor and customers have praised the upgraded look and safety,” said Wockenfuss. “We’re already planning to add more safety features from Life Floor in the future.”

MNY Group expects to see an increase in demand and is exploring expansion and growth to meet the growing popularity in Life Floor tiles around the world.

More information about Rural Development’s Intermediary Relending Program (IRP) can be found at https://www.rd.usda.gov/programs-services/intermediary-relending-program.

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MAKING WAVES WITH KA'ANA WAVE CO.

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Ka’ana Wave Co. celebrated the launch of their CM7-Series wave machines with a pop-up surf park at Britannia Beach, British Columbia this past summer.

Ka’ana’s CM7-Series wave machines utilize Daldorado’s DalLUX™ Life Floor Drainage System. Originally designed and manufactured for luxury pools, DalLUX support grates allow designers to maintain the aesthetics of a deck while also providing efficient and necessary drainage. For this unique application, Daldorado’s DalLUX™ Drains became an integral component for Ka’ana’s CM7-Series wave machine deck. The entire surface accommodated continuous drainage while providing surfers traction with Life Floor’s slip-resistant and cushioned surfaces.

Excerpt from Cision Article:

“Their ground-breaking technology represents a new class of artificial surf attraction, one that creates a variety of deep-water surf waves, in new and existing pools and lagoons. With this technology, the company aims to break down barriers to entry and make surfing more accessible for everyone. The pop-up surf park was an opportunity for Ka'ana to reveal the company's first wave shapes, develop CM7 safety protocols, and collect feedback about the surf experience from over 250 people including industry insiders, professional athletes, developers, city planners, architects, resort planners and aquatic designers. Shaping waves at 60 to 70 per cent of the machine's capacity, Ka'ana Wave Co. showcased the world's first stationary, bathymetry-agnostic, artificial surf waves at the event. These waves included a right break barrel, boat wake, and river jump.”

As part of this effort, the Ka’ana Wave Co. team collaborated with Life Floor to create custom flooring designs that included their logos on both the CM7-Series wave machine deck and shaping head. This application was the first of its kind across Daldorado’s DalLUX™ Drains and provided an opportunity to reinforce the branding of this innovative new wave technology.

Thank you to Ka’ana Wave Co. for creatively partnering with us and surfacing the CM7-Series wave machine with Life Floor. We also appreciate Daldorado Drains for their continued partnership in delivering high quality, innovative drainage systems. To learn more about how you can get Daldorado’s DalLUX™ Life Floor Drainage System on your next project, please contact our team.

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Waterslide Tower Restoration and Refresh in Spencer, Iowa

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In January of 2022, the City of Spencer, Iowa contacted Fischer Brothers about replacing the failed fiberglass steps on their waterslide tower at the Spencer City Aquatic Center. An inspection in February revealed that the tower’s fiberglass steps and landings had deteriorated to the point where there was an immediate need for repair. The once-white surfaces were stained after years of use, most of the previous surfacing product was worn smooth, and cracks had developed in the fiberglass.

The stairs and decks were originally made with a fiberglass exterior and a balsa wood coring interior. Cracks in the fiberglass had allowed water to rot the balsa wood coring from many harsh Midwestern seasons. The saturated coring would freeze each winter and thaw every spring, incrementally delaminating the fiberglass from its internal coring.

Before: Cracks in the Fiberglass

This project provided a great opportunity for Fischer Brothers and Life Floor to partner in solving this city’s slide tower issues. In August, Fischer Brothers sent a crew to tackle the project. They began by identifying all the structural problem areas and started work. Large portions of fiberglass were completely rebuilt using synthetic coring instead of balsa wood and more than 20 gallons of resin were used to repair the landings and stairs. Every square inch of the fiberglass was either rebuilt or sanded down to remove the old surface texture and create a smooth and stable surface for the installation of Life Floor safety surfacing.

Rotted Balsa Wood Core

New Fiberglass Restoration

Life Floor Safety Surfacing

Life Floor was the preferred choice for this WhiteWater and Fischer Brothers project in the City of Spencer, Iowa since the safety surfacing not only provides increased slip-resistance and cushioning, but also refreshes the visual appeal of the whole tower. The city chose to use Iceberg and River Rock colors in Life Floor’s Ripple 2.0 texture for this project. The pale blue Iceberg tiles were used on all the landings and stair treads and the grey River Rock tiles were installed on the step nosings and risers to provide contrasting colors and added safety. The surfacing on the slide tower is now more comfortable for bare feet, and it looks great!

About Fischer Brothers, LLC.

Fischer Brothers, LLC got their start in 2007 restoring waterslides, and eventually moved on to other parts of the waterpark. From waterslide towers, aquatic play structures, spray features and more, Fischer Brothers has led the charge in pioneering innovative solutions for the aquatics restoration industry. Fischer Brothers is currently undergoing the process to become a Certified Life Floor Installer.

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Make a SPLASH! Grant Contest 2021 Winner: Wells Park, Albuquerque, NM

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In 2021, we co-hosted our second annual Make a SPLASH! Grant Contest with Inside Edge Safety Surfaces to award a municipality or non-profit organization in the United States with an all-expenses-paid splash pad surface. Our intent in initiating this contest was to be able to uplift communities across the country each year with beautiful splash pad surfacing designs that add increased safety for residents.

One of the applications we received stood out.

“The Wells Park Splash Pad is located in front of the Johnny Tapia Community Center. This community center serves a large population of low-income households and provides a full day child development program in the heart of downtown Albuquerque. The Wells Park Splash pad has a relatively small footprint but serves as an oasis for families trying to beat the heat and cool off during those hot summer months. The community center heavily utilizes the splash pad to give children an unforgettable experience when those experiences are very rare for these children.

With a new Life Floor, we will be able to elevate the experience of all those who utilize the facility. We currently have a brushed concrete surface around the interactive play features. This surface can become somewhat slick over the years of heavy traffic and repeated cleaning throughout the seasons...Staff will arrive early in the morning and disinfect the splash pad surface to provide a sanitary environment for our users. With the Life Floor material, we can breathe a bit easier when we are cleaning each morning. Life Floor will also significantly reduce the amount of slip and fall injuries we see on a regular basis. Lastly, with the many diverse designs of the Life Floor, we will be able to provide a very unique feature to an underserved population.

Thank you for your consideration.”
— Josh Herbert, Aquatics Division Manager, City of Albuquerque Parks and Recreation

BEFORE: Wells Park Splash Pad, concrete surfacing

AFTER: Wells Park Splash Pad, Life Floor

This entry resonated with members of the Life Floor and Inside Edge Safety Surfaces teams who reviewed entries and collaboratively chose this facility as the winner.

Our 2021 Grant Contest entrants chose from 6 unique pre-designed themes that would be custom fit to their project scope. The City of Albuquerque chose a vibrant 4-color banded pattern created from our square shaped tile featuring our Turquoise, Seafoam, Goldfish, and Sunshine colors. We included a custom-designed logo for the city as well.

The Make a SPLASH! Grant Contest’s co-host as well as Life Floor’s North American Preferred Installation Partner, Inside Edge Safety Surfaces, completed installation of the new surface in July of 2022. The crew worked with a high degree of professionalism and expertise to create a beautiful final result. Once they were finished, the splash pad was officially ready for the grand reopening celebration to commemorate the new surface.

We're excited to showcase a stunningly bright and cheerful Life Floor surface to uplift and transform the Wells Park Splash Pad in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Albuquerque takes great pride in the city's logo calling out the One Albuquerque motto and we are thrilled to be able to showcase that logo custom cut into the Life Floor surface. We can't wait to hear the stories of how this installation will continue to benefit the community for years to come!

We’re thankful for the opportunity to give this deserving community a new Life Floor splash pad surface and hope that it’s enjoyed for many seasons to come. Thank you to Inside Edge Safety Surfaces for co-hosting this contest with us and for installation.

Enter our Third Annual Make a SPLASH! Contest for 2022 by clicking the button below or visit our contest page for more information.

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BEACHSIDE FUN AT MOREY’S PIERS

Morey’s Piers overlooks the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of Wildwood, New Jersey and is perfectly located for guests who are looking for an elevated beach experience. Our partner, WhiteWater, designed these two oceanside attractions with over 10,000 square feet of Life Floor at Morey’s Piers’ Bonsai Beach and Camp KidTastrophe splash pads.

Bonsai Beach

Bonsai Beach features a beach inspired Life Floor design complete with Marine Inlays, custom surfboards and a custom logo. The outer edges of the splash pad replicate the sandy beaches just beyond the pier and the brilliant turquoise colors leading towards the center of the play area resemble crashing waves.

Bonsai Beach is a fully submerged splash pad located on Surfside Pier as part of Ocean Oasis Water Park.

Did you know Life Floor can be installed both above and below water?

Installing Life Floor on the bottom of fully submerged splash pads, pools, zero-depth entries, and waterparks is an easy way to add more visual interest to a space or signal to guests that the depth of water is changing by including gradients that get darker as the depth increases. Including visual signals for guests is an important aspect of accessible design.

Camp KidTastrophe

Camp KidTastrophe showcases a unique pattern centered around the main elevated play structure. Marine Inlays complement the space and add play value as kids run and splash around the structures. This energetic splash pad is located on Mariner’s Pier as part of Raging Waters Water Park.

“Life Floor requires way less annual maintenance than other surfaces we’ve had in the past. We would definitely recommend Life Floor to other facilities.”
— Will Morey, Director of Waterpark Operations

Thank you to WhiteWater for the collaboration on this project and to Inside Edge Safety Surfaces for installation services. If you want to learn more about Life Floor, contact us today.

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LIFE FLOOR NAMED 2022 DREAM DESIGN SUPPLIER

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We're honored to be named as the Floor Covering Supplier by Aquatics International for two Dream Design Award-winning waterparks in 2022! At Baha Bay at Baha Mar and Atlantis Dubai Aquaventure, our brightly colored tiles activate these play areas and create immersive, fun environments for all guests. Congratulations to these waterparks and to all of our partners who collaborated to bring them to life!

2022 DREAM DESIGNS

Baha Bay at Baha Mar

Nassau, Bahamas

Life Floor is featured on Kid’s Island at Turtle Beach and Stingray Cove. In both areas, custom cut waves of our Aviator and Aqua tiles brighten up the surfacing at this waterpark. At Stingray Cove, Life Floor Landing Pads blend seamlessly with the surfacing design and offer enhanced cushioning at slide run-outs.

Atlantis Aquaventure Waterpark

Dubai, UAE

Life Floor surfaces multiple areas of Splasher’s Island including the newest Splasher’s Cove. In the two kids areas, triangle gradients create vibrant beach and island effects. Life Floor sea creature Inlays add theming and play value to complement the overall design.

We celebrate these awards with all of the fellow teams who worked to make these projects a reality. A special congratulations to our partners WhiteWater and Waterplay for also being named 2022 Dream Design Suppliers!

Beyond the winners above, Life Floor contributed to the following projects awarded Dream Design designations by Aquatics International in previous years.

2021 DREAM DESIGNS

The St. James of Springfield, VA

Springfield, Virginia, USA

Life Floor’s blue surfacing creates a colorful backdrop in the play structure area of the facility.

2020 DREAM DESIGNS

Royal Caribbean’s Perfect Day at CocoCay

Little Stirrup, Bahamas

Bold, custom graphics energize Splashaway Bay while a beach design completes the theming at Captain Jill’s Galleon.

Lopesan Costa Bavaro Resort

Punta Cana, Dominican Republic

Cushioned and slip-resistant tiles brighten up the splash pad at Splash Island Waterpark.

We love working with all of our customers around the world and partnering with other companies to create stunning aquatic facility designs. For more information about these projects or to learn how you can purchase our award-winning surfacing for your facility, contact us today.

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AQUA NICK AT NICKELODEON™ RIVIERA MAYA

Overall view of Bikini Bottom Beach

Families are sure to enjoy a fun-packed vacation at Aqua Nick at Nickelodeon Hotels and Resorts, Riviera Maya. With water features covering two-thirds of the property’s location, there’s something for everyone! 

Life Floor surfaces several activity zones at the resort including Bikini Bottom Beach and Paw Patrol Adventure Bay. Vibrant Bluebird, Aviator, and Iceberg colors are designed in a wave pattern throughout the park, which helps to create a consistent theme that compliments the features and provides added safety and comfort for guests of all ages.

Feature of Spongebob Squarepants character.
Feature of Paw Patrol character.

In addition to the slides and structures, the characters themselves are designed and manufactured by WhiteWater. Spongebob Squarepants and Paw Patrol friends are prominently featured around the main activity zones and some other characters can be seen from other Nickelodeon™ shows such as Blue from Blue’s Clues.

Feature of Blue's Clues character.
“[Aqua Nick] is the largest theming project that WhiteWater has ever created, incorporating the intellectual property of Nickelodeon™ across 11 exhilarating water slides, a RainFortress 5, AquaPlay 200, Splash Pad, and Lazy River.”
— WhiteWater
Feature of Spongebob Squarepants character.

To learn more about this installation and to view project specifications, click the button below:

Thank you to WhiteWater for collaborating with us on this project. To begin your own Life Floor x WhiteWater project that will create lasting memories for your guests for years to come, contact us today. 

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New Inlay Themes for Spring

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We’re excited to announce the latest expansion of our Life Floor Inlay library. These three new sets of Inlays can be easily integrated into any design to add increased play value, theming, and visual interest. Keep an eye out for even more Inlay releases throughout the year!

AUSTRALIA + NEW ZEALAND

Transport guests down under with these new wildlife Inlays! This Australia & New Zealand themed set is inspired by Life Floor Australia and New Zealand and the magnificent projects that have been installed there. A few of our favorites include Wet’n’Wild Gold Coast, the Doone Kennedy Hobart Aquatic Center, and Australia Zoo.

TROPICAL

Design a vibrant jungle landscape with these colorful Tropical Inlays or complement the existing scenery with the Hibiscus and Monstera accents. This set pairs nicely with our Rainforest, Wildflower, or Oasis Themes.

GARDEN

Create some fun outdoor theming with this Garden Inlay set. Count all the Ladybugs as an impromptu scavenger hunt or follow the Bees to their hive! This set pairs well with our Wilderness or Rainforest Themes. The Bee Inlay is sized to fit within one of our Hexagon Tile Shapes which makes it well-suited for a honeycomb-themed environment.

Design Tips

Use Rocks Inlays in a repeating pattern to mimic a stone pathway for added play value and theming.

Combine our new Bee Inlays with our hexagon tiles to create a buzzing hive!

 

The addition of these new Inlays to our library is just the continuation of a year-long expansion of theming options we’re making available to customers and designers. If you’re interested in including one or more of these new Inlays in your upcoming project, please contact your regional sales manager. For projects outside of the U.S., please contact our international team.

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ALL ABOARD! CRUISES FILLED WITH AQUATIC FUN

Guest experience is essential aboard any cruise ship to ensure a fun and unique vacation for passengers. Among the numerous amenities available, water features have become increasingly popular attractions. Flowriders by WhiteWater Industries, waterslides, splash pads, and beautiful pools have become staples for many vessels. As a result, patrons have come to expect bigger and brighter aquatic experiences as new vessels are built. 

LARGE AQUATIC PLAY STRUCTURES

Elevated structures such as multi-level interactive water play structures or waterslide towers create an immediate presence that cruisers are often amazed by. These types of amenities serve as a focal point for the ship as a whole and create lasting memories.

Carnival Cruise Lines

Surf machines such as Flowrider by WhiteWater Industries are compact attractions, but they have a large onboard impact. For many guests, exposure to surf machines like these might happen for the first time on a cruise. Some ships have chosen to reinforce branding alongside the surrounding walkways and reduce risk with Life Floor’s custom logos and safety surfacing benefits.

POOL DECKS

Pool decks are popular amenities on cruise ships. Having a comfortable pool deck where guests feel at ease improves guest experience at these amenity types. Because these features are central to recreation on the upper decks of ships, vibrant designs that match the ship’s theming have become increasingly popular.

Carnival Imagination Pool Deck
Cruise Ship Pool Deck

Beyond the focus on great looking pool decks, it’s essential that these areas are designed with safety and cleanability in mind. Certain elements can provide visual signals to guests regarding critical elements such as a pool edge, step down, or depth of water. Slip resistance can help maintain guests’ footing in these wet areas especially when paired with motion at sea. Surfaces that resist the growth of harmful bacteria help to protect the health of guests, especially since ships are heavily occupied with little downtime between voyages. 

By keeping these elements in mind, the upper decks of cruise ships provide the ultimate zones for aquatic relaxation and fun for their guests as they voyage across the seas. 

SPLASH PADS

Splash pads have become a popular amenity onboard cruise ships for families with young children or guests looking for aquatic play outside a pool setting.

CocoCay in the Bahamas

Splash pads provide a variety of play options from dump buckets to water spray features. Generally, free play is more widely available on splash pads due to play requiring a level of imagination and creativity. Encouraging free play by having a highly themed splash pad can help guests who may not know one another play with a similar theme in mind. For example, a pirate themed splash pad can lend a story arc option to guests and create memories that may not have otherwise happened. 

Including all aspects of a splash pad’s construction in theming allows for greater customization and control of the greater cruise experience. From water jets to surfacing, utilizing all the aspects of splash pad design can curate experiences for guests.

Carnival Imagination
#choosefun Carnival Cruise

Image Credit: eatsleepcruise.com

KIDS’ PLAY AREAS

Kids’ play areas are perfect for onboard daycares and family zones. Both indoor and outdoor dry play areas on cruise ships often feature various playground equipment that require a fall attenuating, cushioned surface to protect against accidental falls when equipment is elevated. An IMO-certified surface like Life Floor has been popular in these applications. 

Fun, vibrant flooring designs can help brighten up a play area by incorporating colors and themes that complement the rest of the space. Inlaid designs can provide another layer of play engagement with surface games or scavenger hunts. Life Floor’s custom cutting capabilities can also reinforce branding with cruise line logos or iconography. 

See our standard Inlay Library here.

PRIVATE ISLANDS

Beyond all of the fun on board, cruise lines that stop at their own private islands allow for all-inclusive theming in a secluded locale. Building an island environment is incredibly complex and requires a wide scope of considerations which centers around guest experience and enjoyment. Aquatic amenities are often the main features on private islands as guests seek to cool off and enjoy warm weather.

Life Floor is featured at two splash pads that can be enjoyed whenever passengers spend a Perfect Day® at CocoCay® courtesy of Royal Caribbean. Guests can cool off, run and play, or relax on the sidelines at both Splashaway Bay designed by Martin Aquatic Design & Engineering or at Captain Jill’s Galleon designed by the Life Floor Studio. These two projects at CocoCay are quintessential examples of Life Floor’s ability to match any aquatic feature’s theming and support risk reduction. 

Splashaway Bay
Captain Jill’s Galleon

The graphic elements of these two installations extend the scope of theming to provide immersive engagement for guests.  At Splashaway Bay, the designs on the slide tower panels were integrated into the surface design. Similarly, Captain Jill’s Galleon features a massive vessel with the surfacing surrounding it designed to mimic a body of water. 

Guest experience at an island vista requires comprehensive planning and safety parameters to ensure a low-risk environment while providing ample options for adrenaline-pumping adventures mixed with relaxing opportunities. To minimize interruptions to play, reducing overall risk is critical. One way to reduce risk in aquatic features specifically is to invest in safety surfacing that has increased slip-resistance and cushioning to better protect guests. 

Life Floor’s IMO Certified safety surfacing is both lightweight and durable for all types of wet or dry amenities.

We have so much fun working on these projects and serving the unique needs of our cruise partners such as Royal Caribbean, Carnival Cruise Lines, MSC, and Norwegian Cruise Lines among others. To specify Life Floor for your cruise ship, please contact Lindsay Fetzer here.

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Unique Aquatic Designs at Vacation Destinations Worldwide

Some of our favorite projects include installations at sunny vacation destinations around the world. These locations chose Life Floor surfacing to add theming and design to their aquatic facilities and play areas with the added benefits of cushioning and slip-resistance that comes with our flooring. 

To give a sampling of some of the top projects on our travel bucket lists, we've compiled a list below. Many of these featured splash pads and pool decks are customized to look like seascapes, while others feature vibrant graphic elements. We've loved partnering with each of these resorts and travel destinations as we continue to provide a fun aquatic design solution to customers worldwide.

DUBAI

Jungle Bay Waterpark

“Inspired by the islands of Greece, the waterpark was designed intentionally with a clean, minimalist style. The park features rides and attractions for all ages… all surfaced with Life Floor for the whole family.” - WhiteWater Industries

Jungle Bay Waterpark is accessible through both The Westin Dubai and Le Méridien Mina Seyahi Beach Resort in Dubai, UAE.

VISIT THE PORTFOLIO PAGE

Atlantis The Palm Dubai

As one of the world’s leading resorts, Atlantis The Palm Dubai boasts a complete resort experience. The submerged splash pad at Aquaventure Waterpark, which features a beach theme, was created for maximum entertainment and superior guest experience complete with Life Floor safety surfacing. 

VISIT THE PORTFOLIO PAGE

The Beach Jumeirah

Located between the panoramic backdrop of the Dubai skyline and the turquoise waters of the Persian Gulf, The Beach splash pad delights families residing in the luxurious Jumeriah residential area.

VISIT THE PORTFOLIO PAGE

CARIBBEAN

Perfect Day at CocoCay

Cruisers of Royal Caribbean can truly have a Perfect Day at CocoCay. There’s something for everyone with numerous water play features to choose from and enjoy. From the Tallest Waterslide in North America to the largest freshwater pool in the Bahamas, this experience is a fun-filled getaway for the whole family. Life Floor is featured at two splash pads on the island with colorful surfacing that brightens up both Splashaway Bay and Captain Jill's Galleon.

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Lopesan’s Costa Bavaro Resort

Splash Island Waterpark is a picturesque family vacation destination in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic located at Lopesan’s Costa Bavaro Resort. This 27-acre themed resort pairs luxury with fun and has zoned areas for even the youngest guests.

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Jungala Aqua Experience

Jungala Aqua Experience is internationally known as a leader in guest experience. By placing capacity limits on accommodations, this luxury resort is able to provide guests with an experience that truly feels unique. This location features a RainFortress 5 structure by WhiteWater Industries paired with vibrant Life Floor surfacing to create an action-packed aquatic play environment.

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AUSTRALIA

Australia Zoo

Australia Zoo created a beautiful splash pad at the center of their Laughing Lolly Shop and Water Park - a place where kids can play and cool off in the blazing Queensland sun while exploring beautiful sculptures of Australian animals, designed by the Zoo’s artist team. True to their environmental mission, they use water recycling components to reduce waste and give back to the wild.

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Sugarworld Adventure Park

As a central place for the community to connect and for local kids to cool off in the Queensland heat, the park features a 7,000 square foot play pool, complete with a play structure. Located near the site of an old sugar mill, this council-owned waterpark is the centerpiece of the community of Edmonton outside Cairns, Australia.

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ULTIQA Beach Haven Resort

“ULTIQA Beach Haven on Broadbeach is the perfect Gold Coast getaway. Views of the Pacific Ocean, Gold Coast Coastline and Hinterland views combine with relaxed apartments, creating a family friendly coastal destination.”

- ULTIQA Beach Haven on Broadbeach 

The unique wave patterning on this resort's pool deck can be seen from rooms above and adds comfortable surfacing for all guests who use this amenity.

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United States

LEGOLAND Surfer’s Cove

Surfer’s Cove is inspired by the beaches of Southern California and features its own surrounding artificial beach. It is a unique, enclosed area of LEGOLAND California, perfect for parents to relax within sight of their children playing on the splash pad.

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Courtyard Anaheim Theme Park Entrance

Excited travelers looking to experience the best of Southern California look to the Anaheim Courtyard by Marriott. This hotel is located near Disneyland and other popular attractions. In addition to spacious accommodations, the hotel is proud to offer guests access to the 20,000 sq ft Surfside Waterpark. Many rooms overlook this central attraction that features theming that carries through from the WhiteWater AquaPlay structure to the Life Floor surfacing.

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Dolphin Bay Resort

Framed by the Pacific Ocean and tropical palm trees, Dolphin Bay Resort is ideal for a California beach getaway. Guests are welcome to lounge in the sun on the resort's pool deck while listening to the waves crash against the shoreline a short walk away from the resort.  

VISIT THE PORTFOLIO PAGE

Fun Spot America, Orlando

Fun Spot Orlando is a vibrant family-owned theme park with a beautiful splash pad located in the heart of Orlando, FL. Fun Spot decided to expand on their mission of “Safe-Clean-Fun” and showcase their logo on a larger-than-life scale on the park’s splash pad where guests can cool off after a full day of fun.

VISIT THE PORTFOLIO PAGE

While this list features just some of our favorite vacation destinations around the world, there are countless others. To view more of our projects, head to our Portfolio page. 

If you'd like to see how Life Floor surfacing could enhance a resort or attraction you have in mind, contact us to start the design process!

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CREATING UNIQUE AQUATIC EXPERIENCES AT CAMPGROUNDS AND RV PARKS

Yogi Bear's Jellystone Park Camp-Resort, North Java, NY

Campgrounds and RV parks that provide access to aquatic amenities such as splash pads, waterparks, or lake shores are popular with campers. These amenities provide a simple, yet fun way for families to relax and enjoy the excitement of camping, while also cooling off in the warm summer heat.

At some camp resort locations such as Yogi Bear’s Jellystone Parks, theming is an important aspect for each location. It allows for branded merchandise, lovable characters, and a complete experience that makes guests feel more welcome and connected.

Yogi Bear's Jellystone Park Camp-Resort, Natural Bridge, VA

Theming can be accomplished in a variety of ways including literature, signage, merchandise, and the physical appearance of buildings or amenities. Log cabins, tents, and picnic baskets are strong camping associations for many people, so including interactive elements that foster memorable play can improve overall engagement. 

One way that themes can be incorporated into a park design is through aquatic surfacing design. Varying design iterations on the same surface can signal different play zones while also carrying a theme throughout the park and creating a unique experience. 

Safety surfacing on splash pads and around pool decks can also add to the amount of fun that families have at these facilities by providing cushioning and slip-resistance for greater comfort and more active play. 

Cascade Cove, Lake George RV Park, Lake George, NY

As travel picks up again, there has also been an increasing trend for RV travel and guest stays at campgrounds that allow RVs. This type of travel allows for greater flexibility, more options, outdoor family adventures, and tends to be generally less expensive than other methods of vacationing. Aquatic amenities add to this experience and are a welcome benefit wherever they’re featured. 

To get Life Floor quoted for your campground or RV park, please complete our contact form here. We’d be happy to provide you with budget numbers and some complimentary design options.

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3 EASY AQUATIC IMPROVEMENTS TO MAKE FOR SUMMER

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As aquatic facilities plan to reopen for summer, they may look to make improvements for even more fun experiences at their pools and splash pads. Some may seek to address safety concerns like slip-and-falls. Others may look to enhance design and play value. Many of the solutions offered by Life Floor can help achieve these goals. Learn more about some easy ways our surfacing can address these needs in time for summer.

1. IMPROVE FACILITY SAFETY

Some of the most common pain points we hear involve slippery, abrasive surfaces that are difficult to maintain. These problems often lead to unfortunate injuries or increased risk at facilities.

We're also often contacted by customers that have tried other safety surfacing solutions that have failed in an aquatic environment. Many other rubberized or aggregate materials have been designed for dry playgrounds. As a result, they aren't engineered to withstand the unique combination of UV, aquatic, and chemical impacts that face splash pads or pool decks.

Other customers have struggled with growth on the surfacing at their facilities. Unlike more porous options, Life Floor features a closed-cell technology, which doesn’t foster growth of bacteria, mold, and algae. Our tiles have been third-party tested for cleanability and offer a great solution for anyone who has experienced this issue.

In 2019, NSF International passed NSF/ANSI/CAN Standard 50:26 outlining criteria for safety surfacing products for interactive water play, which include slip-resistance and cushioning among others. They recognize that similar safety parameters are needed in aquatic play areas, following the precedent set by dry playgrounds. Life Floor is the first and currently only product to be certified to this standard. 

Our tiles can be easily installed over existing substrates to address safety concerns or to replace other surfacing solutions that have failed. If you have an existing facility where Life Floor might be a good fit, contact us to learn more.

2. BRIGHTEN UP SURFACING DESIGN

Many aquatic facilities contact Life Floor in need of a bright, new refresh. Adding our colorful tiles can transform any area with a blank, monochromatic surface to create an engaging, immersive experience for guests of all ages.

Our thematic Inlays can be easily integrated into any design to increase play value, theming, and visual interest. Games and graphics can also be included as part of a Life Floor installation. For budget-conscious or simpler designs, our preset Themes and Patterns can achieve beautiful results without the added costs of custom work.

3. CUSHION WATER SLIDE LANDINGS

We often hear from customers in search of new or improved cushioning at water slide landings. In many ways, prior solutions they've tried have fallen short. For instance, traditional slide landing pads are made with an impervious shell that has a consistent flaw in design; the cushioning and the waterproofing are viewed as separate elements. After repeated impact as guests exit a slide, the protective shell often fails leaving the padding exposed to water. From there, traditional landing pads can grow mold, the sharp edges of the failed protective shell can cause injuries, and pieces of foam can leak into the pool during peak busy season. These traditional landing pads are also typically bolted down to the pool bottom, which can result in tripping hazards or injuries during slide exits.

With Life Floor, our product’s inherent non-absorbent and impact cushioning qualities are built into our landing pads: no coatings, protective shells, or bolts required. Instead of bolts, Life Floor Landing Pads are adhered to the pool bottom with construction-grade, solvent-based contact cement, which can be found at a local hardware or flooring supply store.

Each Life Floor Landing Pad has a 4 ft (121.92 cm) critical fall height, 5-year material warranty, and non-abrasive slip-resistance for a safer exit every time. Our landing pads are created out of modular 2 ft (60.96 cm) square tiles so they can be customized to fit anywhere operators need to install them. In the event that any damage ever occurs, our modular design allows for only the compromised tiles to be replaced, which helps save on overall cost.

Life Floor Landing Pads are a great way to test out our products at your facility for a relatively low price point. To order one of our Landing Pads today, visit our online storefront here.

RETROFITTING LIFE FLOOR

One of the most common questions we get asked is, “Can Life Floor be installed over an existing surface?” The answer is yes! This type of installation, also known as a retrofit installation, is extremely common. Life Floor can be installed over virtually any solid substrate such as concrete or ceramic tile. When our installers are working with an existing surface, they will often prepare the surface beforehand by patching any cracks and grinding the surface down to ensure a smooth surface before laying Life Floor tiles.

If any spray features are present at the installation site or if there is a concrete apron surrounding the aquatic zone, our installers will use transition strips to provide a cohesive experience and ensure tripping hazards are eliminated.  Our installation teams work to perfectly surround any spray features without removing them to reduce maintenance downtime and ensure a snug fit.

Transition strips help simplify the process by creating a seamless transition from the surrounding area onto the aquatics feature zone. Life Floor transition strips are ADA Compliant and provide a smooth ramp onto the installation that prevents stubbed toes and accessibility concerns.

With proper preparation and the right team of installers, Life Floor can easily surface over existing substrates to transform facilities with improved safety and design. Our team always enjoys hearing from customers who have seen the impact that our tiles have made.

If you’re interested in retrofitting your splash pad or pool deck with Life Floor, we'd love to support your needs in time for your summer reopening. Be sure to request a quote and see what a difference beautifully designed safety surfacing can make.

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NEW INLAY THEMES FOR 2022

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We’re excited to announce an expansion of our Life Floor Inlay library. These three new sets of shapes can be easily integrated into any design to add increased play value, theming, and visual interest. Keep an eye out for even more Inlay releases throughout the year!

FOREST

Squirrel

Paw Prints

Bear

Oak Leaf

Fox

 

Maple Leaf

Bird

Bear Print

Acorn

Tree Stump

 

Walk your guests through the woods as they follow paw prints and spot forest animals such as birds, squirrels, and foxes with our Forest Inlays. These Inlays pair perfectly with our Wilderness and Rainforest Themes.

TREASURE HUNT

Pirate Ship

Horizontal Dash

Anchor

X

Ship’s Wheel

 

Spyglass

Treasure Chest

Diagonal Dash

Hook

Jolly Roger Flag

 

X Marks the Spot! Take your youngest guests on a pirate adventure. These Treasure Hunt Inlays pair with our Seashore Theme to create an immersive adventure experience. Whether guests are following the dotted line to the treasure chest or imagining hopping from ship to ship across the high seas, this Inlay set will enhance play value at aquatic or beach themed facilities.

POND

Butterfly

Duck

Grass Tuft

Duckling

Lizard

 

Frog

Lily Pad

Dragonfly

Turtle

Waterlily

 

Bug hunters and frog catchers will love these Pond-inspired shapes. Hop across lily pads and imagine you’ve shrunk to the size of one of our turtle Inlays as your guests explore! These Pond themed Inlays pair well with our green, blue, and tan colors. 

The addition of these new shapes to our library is just the start of a year-long expansion of theming options we’re making available to customers and designers. If you’re interested in including one or more of these new Inlays in your upcoming project, please contact your regional sales manager. For projects outside of the U.S., please contact our international team.

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